This invention relates generally to techniques and apparatus for converting a monochromatic night vision device or other electro-optical device to produce a full-color output.
The vast majority of night vision devices have a monochromatic output. They typically work by using a lens to focus light from a scene onto the front of a sensor or image intensifier tube. The image is amplified and finally output on a phosphor display screen. While night vision (NV) is itself a great enhancement of normal human vision, it is sometimes desirable to have a NV device with a fill-color output, for example to better differentiate an object one is searching for from its background environment.
At present, typical methods of achieving a full-color NV device have been by the use of an especially sensitive and highly amplified CCD device (television camera). Alternatively, by the use of three separate image intensifier tubes, selected or filtered so as to be sensitive to the red, green and blue portions of the spectrum. The outputs of these three tubes are then fused by the use of partially silvered prisms or mirrors or by integrating them in an interlaced red, green and blue (RGB) television-type display tube.
Among the disadvantages of these techniques are higher power usage, added weight, increased optical complexity compared to a simple image intensifier NV device, and susceptibility to being knocked out of alignment. In addition, CCD devices are not effective image intensifiers and thus limit the light amplification possible. Note also that many night vision devices are designed to be mounted on the user""s head, a position where excess weight can be a problem. In addition, there is a vast installed base of monochromatic NV systems.
It thus would be desirable to have new methods and apparatus to provide color output from monochromatic-output NV systems.
The invention provides apparatus that comprises an electro-optical viewing device, particularly a mono-chromatic night vision device, that comprises a plurality of light filters. In this system, a first light filter system is positioned at a light-input end of the device, and a second light filter system is positioned at a light-output end of the device, whereby the plurality of filters systems provide a color output to a viewer. The filter systems preferably comprise filters for radiation (light) in the visible and/or infrared ranges. The system preferably provides an output of a full range of colors red to blue, including black, greys and/or white.
Preferably, a filter system comprise at least two types of filters, i.e. a first and second filter, whereby the first filter can pass radiation of a higher wavelength than the second filter, i.e. the first filter is a xe2x80x9chigh passxe2x80x9d filter and the second filter is a xe2x80x9clow passxe2x80x9d filter. The first and second filters may suitably pass radiation of the same wavelength provided the filters also each pass radiation of differing wavelength. In particularly preferred aspects of the invention, the maximum wavelength passed or transmitted by the first filter is about the same (e.g. precisely the same or with about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 nm) as the minimum wavelength passed by the second filter. For example, in one preferred filter system, the high pass filter transmits radiation of about 580 nm and shorter, and the low pass filter transmits radiation of about 580 nm or longer. In another preferred system, the high pass filter transmits radiation of about 580 nm and shorter, and the low pass filter transmits radiation of about 580 nm or longer.
In particular preferred systems of the invention, the filter system positioned at the light-output portion of the electro-optical viewing device comprises high pass and low pass filters, and the filter system positioned at the light-input portion of the device comprises high pass and low pass filters.
Even more preferably, those filter systems are linked, whereby the high pass filter in the front of the device is aligned with the high pass filter in the rear of the device, and the low pass filter in the front of the device is aligned with the low pass filter in the rear of the device.
In a filter system, the separate filter elements (e.g. low pass filter and high pass filter) may suitably comprise substantially equal surface areas in the system or have differing surface areas, e.g. where the high pass filter of the system has a larger surface area than the low pass filter, or conversely where the low pass filter has a larger surface area than the high pass filter of the system.
Apparatus of the invention also may comprise a further filter element that can block transmission of near infrared radiation to an input end of device. For example, the filter may only pass radiation about 710 nm or shorter, or about 750 nm or shorter. The filter suitably may be removable as desired by a user and may be positioned at the radiation input end of the electro-optical viewing device. Such blocking of the near infrared can help provide an image of greater accuracy by blocking infrared light from a scene that can give a false color rendition (i.e. where objects such as foliage that are highly reflective in the infrared appear light or reddish).
Filters systems of the invention can be of a variety of types, including electrically operated filters, as well as a rotating or oscillating filter system. In a preferred aspect of the invention, a structure comprises a rotating or oscillating axle shaft that is mounted parallel to the optical axis of a night vision (NV) device. A disk (filter wheel) mounting one or more filters, or one or more filters and open apertures, is fixed to the front end of the axle so that the filter(s) and aperture(s) will pass in front of the imaging sensor (forward of or behind the objective lens). At the rear of the NV device a second filter wheel is fixed to the axle, such that when a certain section of the forward filter wheel is positioned in front of the optical device""s sensor, a corresponding section of the second filter wheel is positioned behind the eyepiece lens or screen of the NV device. The axle is spun or oscillated manually or by means of a small motor.
In this way, in a lightweight and uncomplicated manner, the filtration of incoming image-forming light is synchronized with the filtration of the amplified output image. The axle is spun or oscillated at a rate such that the switching between filter and open aperture or between different filters is such that the viewer sees a merging of the different color images, producing the impression of viewing a full-color scene. There are several strategies possible for the selection of the filters for the invention. One would be to use three color separation filters in the front filter wheel: red, green and blue. Red, green and blue filters would also be used correspondingly in the rear filter wheel, so that when the sensor was being exposed to only red light, the display would be filtered to give a red output, and likewise green for green and blue for blue. If the filter wheels switch at a rapid enough rate, the viewer will see a full-color scene. Note that with this strategy, the output phosphors have to give off red, green and blue light.
Other filter configurations are possible. The perception of a full color output can be obtained when viewing an output utilizing only two color filters, e.g. two quite narrow-band colors.
For example, if the front filter wheel has an open aperture corresponding to an open aperture on the rear filter wheel, and a low-pass filter corresponding to a red filter on the rear filter wheel, the device output will be perceived as being full color (by this we mean that in the output image, colors have the correct xe2x80x9cnamesxe2x80x9d). In this example, the NV device""s output phosphors would need to have red and non-red shorter-wavelength output (yellow, green, blue, etc).
If one desires to have an output that is perceived as full-color while using a phosphor screen that is only of a green color, then one strategy would be to have a front filter wheel with a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter and a rear filter wheel with corresponding high-pass green and low-pass green filters. Although the output will be muted in its perceived full-color scheme, the colors will have the correct xe2x80x9cnames.xe2x80x9d
Alternatively, the front filter wheel could have an open aperture and low-pass filter corresponding to a rear filter wheel with a high-pass green and low-pass green filters.
Alternatively, the front filter wheel could have a cyan-red low-pass filter corresponding to a rear filter wheel with a low-pass green filter.
In a further alternative arrangement, the front filter wheel could have a high pass and a low pass filter corresponding to a rear filter wheel with a cyan pass and a red pass filter.
Again, alternatively, the front filter wheel could have a high pass and a low pass filter corresponding to a rear filter wheel with a cyan and shorter pass filter and a yellow and longer pass filter.
In these cases above, the rear filter wheel could also have an open aperture combined with a high-band or high pass filter. Alternatively, the rear filter wheel could have an open aperture combined with a low-band or low-pass filter. What is important is to have an output that gives different lightness values for different xe2x80x9ccolorxe2x80x9d objects in the image when they are perceived by the different kinds of receptors in the retina.
According to Retinex theory, the comparative lightness values of a surface as perceived by the different spectrally sensitive receptors in the retina are what a viewer uses to determine that surface""s xe2x80x9ccolor.xe2x80x9d Many night vision devices have extended sensitivity into the near infrared spectrum. Since foliage has a high xe2x80x9clightnessxe2x80x9d value in the infrared range, with certain filtration strategies mentioned above foliage could be perceived as red/brown rather than green in color. Different strategies in the selection of the filters could be used to adjust this or other important colors. For example, color perception of foliage seen through the system could be shifted back to a xe2x80x9cgreenxe2x80x9d color by combining an IR blocking filter with a low-pass red filter on the front filter wheel, or with both filters on the front filter wheel. In this way the lightness of the foliage in the combined red-IR range would be reduced. In some applications it may be desirable to have foliage rendered in a lighter value so that objects or people located in the foliage are easier to discern. Then, the infrared blocking filter may be selected so that some near infrared light is passed. In this way, the foliage will be rendered as a light brown rather than a darker green color.
In order for the different color images coming to the user""s eye to fuse, the filter wheels need to be spun or oscillated fast enough so that the filter sections pass the eye faster than about 15 times per second, including over 20 cycles/second. One technique to speed up the filter cycle rate without an excessive axle rate would be to put multiple sequences of the filters on each wheel.
This method of producing the sensation of full-color output can disable a viewer""s automatic white balance (i.e., seeing colors as consistent under different color temperature light sources, such as tungsten and daylight). In order to adjust the color rendition of this device""s output to give a neutral rendition under different light sources, the balance at the rear of the device between the amount of light transmitted through the high and low pass filters can be adjusted by the use of neutral density filters on one or the other of the filters. Alternatively, this can be achieved by varying the proportion of the area of the filter system that is given to each filter.
Other aspects of the invention are disclosed infra.